August 31, 2009

Syria's Defense Minister, Ali Habib, has called on the Syrian troops to increase their training for the challenges and dangers ahead and added that Israel is taking unprecedented racist steps and is a source of concern worldwide. Habib added that Syria was at one of its most sensitive times in their history. With this harsh rhetoric coming even as Basher Assad, Syria's president, says he is interested in renewing peace talks with Israel in their quest to bring the Golan Heights back under Syrian control.

Israeli President Shimon Peres told the European Union foreign policy chief that Syrian President Assad must take the route of direct negotiations without preconditions and make a decision whether he wants peace or continued conflict.

Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News

The call by the Syrian defense minister for his military to prepare for war with Israel is a page out of Bible prophecy.

In a recent statement by Syrian President Basher Assad from Syria's border with Israel, the Syrian leader said he will take back the Golan Heights from Israel either through diplomatic means or by force militarily and Assad set the tone for the harsh rhetoric coming from his Syrian defense minister. Even as Defense Minister Ali Habib was calling for Syria's military to prepare for a war with the Zionist state of Israel there are already thousands of Syrian troops near the Israeli-Syrian border. All of this military movement comes even as President Assad is telling European and United States leaders that he is ready to negotiate peace with the Jewish state.

This scenario is, as I said, a page out of Bible prophecy for the last days. In fact, the ancient Jewish prophet Daniel says in Daniel 11:40 that at the time of the end the king of the north will come against Israel. The king of the north is defined earlier in Daniel 11 as the modern-day state of Syria. One of the main themes in Bible prophecy is that nations of the Middle East will align themselves against Israel. In that scenario, Syria is the first nation to make a move to destroy the Jewish state and this will, in fact, begin when Israel is at peace (Ezekiel 38:8-11).

Syria's quest for peace with Israel but at the same time, preparing for war with the Jewish state, is indeed a page out of Bible prophecy that will be fulfilled.